NORTHERN BASEBALL WELCOMES HOST OF NEW TALENT IN 2003 RECRUITING CLASS

May 15, 2003

ABERDEEN, S.D.: Northern State Head Baseball Coach Curt Fredrickson has announced that twenty athletes have indicated that they will attend Northern State University and play baseball for the Wolves next season. Northern State will welcome four transfer students, three junior college transfers and 13 high school seniors to its roster in 2004.

“I feel that this is a great combination of transfers, junior college players and incoming freshmen that will make us better immediately,” commented Coach Fredrickson. “We will have seven or eight players back from this years team added to the twenty new players that we are bringing in should give us the availability to make moves during the course of a ballgame. Seven of the incoming players are pitchers which was a need we had to address. We want to take one step at a time to reach the upper division in our league.”

Following is a player-by-player rundown of the 2003 Northern State University recruiting class:

Transfers

Mike Murdy • Aberdeen, S.D. • Catcher -- Murdy has played with Minnesota State, Mankato for the past two seasons and is a 2000 graduate of Aberdeen Central High School.

Tyler Hasz • Aberdeen, S.D. • Catcher -- Hasz redshirted with the University of North Dakota last season and is a 2002 graduate of Aberdeen Central High School. Hasz has also played in Aberdeen with the Smittys amateur baseball team.

Matt Paulson • Milbank, S.D. • Pitcher -- Paulson has pitched for Minnesota State, Mankato for the past two seasons.

Justin Downes • Atwater, Minn. • Pitcher -- Downes played one year for Iowa Central Community College and is a graduate of ACGC High School. Last season, Downes struck out 21 in 13.1 innings of work for the Tritons. Justin compiled a 0.64 ERA striking out 79 hitters in 55 innings while hitting at a .443 clip with five home runs in high school.

Junior College Transfers

Benji Kieffer • Morris, Minn. • Outfielder -- Kieffer hit .427 and stole 21 bases as the leadoff hitter for Fergus Falls Community College in Fergus Falls, Minn.

Charlie Woida • Eagle Bend, Minn. • Shortstop -- Woida hit .394 with four home runs and 26 RBIs as the No. 2 hitter at Fergus Falls Community College in Fergus Falls, Minn.

Jared Olson • Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada • Pitcher -- Olson pitched 55 innings in two years with Fergus Falls Community College striking out 42 and accumulating a 2.97 ERA.

High School Seniors

Travis Schmidt • Selby, S.D. • Pitcher/Outfielder -- Played the last two seasons with the Ipswich legion team and hit .470 with four home runs as a junior.

Eric Bergan • Frederick, S.D. • Infielder -- Played the last two seasons with the Ipswich legion team hitting .410 with four home runs and 30 RBIs in his junior season.

Eric Dockter • Aberdeen, S.D. • Third Base -- Dockter hit .335 with 27 RBIs as a junior and will also play for the Northern State football team in the fall.

Seth Taylor • Malta, Mont. • Outfielder -- Hit .511 with 16 doubles and two home runs in high school where he also played quarterback on the football team.

Mike Steckelberg • Chamberlain, S.D. • Catcher -- Steckelberg played in the 2002 state tournament in Groton hitting .374 with ten doubles and two home runs.

Joe Cupp • Rapid City, S.D. • First Baseman -- Cupp played for Rapid City Post #320 hitting .369 with 21 doubles and 61 RBIs in his junior season. He is the younger brother of current NSU catcher Ben Cupp.

Brian Berendse • Rapid City, S.D. • Rapid City, S.D. • Pitcher -- Berendse was the most consistent pitcher for Rapid City Post #320 earning a 2.41 ERA and an 8-2 record in his junior season.

Valdie Magstadt • Beulah, N.D. • Pitcher/Infielder -- Hit .509 with ten home runs and 79 RBIs in his junior year.

Tyler Wheeler • Clark, S.D. • Outfielder -- Hit .433 with seven home runs and 44 RBIs in his junior season.

Austin Schwartz • Redfield, S.D. • Pitcher/Infielder -- Schwartz hit .453 with seven home runs while holding a 7-5 pitching record, an ERA of 4.10 and 115 strikeouts.

Chance Haugen • Clinton, Minn. • Infielder -- Haugen hit .488 with 29 RBIs in his junior season.

Luke Roach • Brookings, S.D. • Infielder -- Roach hit .248 with 18 RBIs in his junior season.

Tony Thomas • Rapid City, S.D. • Pitcher -- Thomas posted a 2.89 ERA and just five walks in 52 innings of work.